inp = [
{'n': 'name1', 'a': '1'},
{'n': 'name2', 'a': '1'},
{'n': 'name3', 'a': '2'},
{'n': 'name4', 'a': '2'},
{'n': 'name5', 'a': '3'},
{'n': 'name6', 'a': '4'},
{'n': 'name7', 'a': ''},
{'n': 'name8', 'a': ''},
]
vals = sorted(d['a'] for d in inp)
for i, val in enumerate(vals):
inp[i]['a'] = val
print(inp)
aW5wID0gWwogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWUxJywgJ2EnOiAnMSd9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWUyJywgJ2EnOiAnMSd9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWUzJywgJ2EnOiAnMid9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWU0JywgJ2EnOiAnMid9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWU1JywgJ2EnOiAnMyd9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWU2JywgJ2EnOiAnNCd9LAogICAgeyduJzogJ25hbWU3JywgJ2EnOiAnJ30sCiAgICB7J24nOiAnbmFtZTgnLCAnYSc6ICcnfSwKXQoKdmFscyA9IHNvcnRlZChkWydhJ10gZm9yIGQgaW4gaW5wKQpmb3IgaSwgdmFsIGluIGVudW1lcmF0ZSh2YWxzKToKICAgIGlucFtpXVsnYSddID0gdmFsCgpwcmludChpbnApCg==
[{'n': 'name1', 'a': ''}, {'n': 'name2', 'a': ''}, {'n': 'name3', 'a': '1'}, {'n': 'name4', 'a': '1'}, {'n': 'name5', 'a': '2'}, {'n': 'name6', 'a': '2'}, {'n': 'name7', 'a': '3'}, {'n': 'name8', 'a': '4'}]